Disclaimer: I have not been able to independently verify that the manager Romel Murphy and the convicted Romel C. Murphy are the same person. The following presents the clues I found. Readers should draw their own conclusions.
Yesterday, I reported on a major deal in the AI music space. Romel Murphy’s dai + drm label secured a multi-million-dollar joint venture with Create Music Group, the $1 billion distributor. Murphy manages Xania Monet, the AI artist created by poet Telisha “Nikki” Jones.
Credit: YT Screenshot CBS Mornings Interview
Since publishing, I’ve been digging into Murphy’s background. What I found raises serious questions. A Romel C. Murphy from Chicago was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison for wire fraud in 2021.
The clues:
The DOJ press release names “Romel C. Murphy, 43, of Chicago” as the man convicted of wire fraud. According to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, Murphy “defrauded clients by soliciting funds for music performances by famous artists, but then keeping the funds for himself.”
How do we know this is the same Romel Murphy now managing AI artists and signing deals with Create Music Group?
The manager of Xania Monet is named Romel Murphy. His LinkedIn profile identifies him as based in the Greater Chicago area and lists his record label dai + drm.
His LinkedIn also links directly to the Equality Should Be Normal website, a campaign tied to the Barbara Murphy Community Resource Center. Block Club Chicago reported the center opened in Washington Park in November 2020. Weeks later, in January 2021, Romel C. Murphy pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
Screenshot
Important to note: The charity does not link to the fraud. It simply verifies his identity and location.
Here’s a summary of the clues I found:
- DOJ press release names “Romel C. Murphy, 43, of Chicago” as the convicted fraudster
- The fraud was music industry related. The convicted Romel C. Murphy ran a fake talent booking agency and sent fake contracts for artists he never represented
- The manager’s LinkedIn says “Romel Murphy” based in “Greater Chicago area”
- The manager’s LinkedIn lists his record label dai + drm
- The manager’s LinkedIn links directly to the Equality Should Be Normal website, a Chicago-based nonprofit
- The timeline could fit. Sentenced October 2021 to 77 months. Projected release around 2025 (good behaviour?). Create Music Group deal announced February 2026
The Crime
From November 2017 through March 2019, the convincted Romel C. Murphy operated a talent booking agency. He solicited deposits for concerts and sent fake contracts appearing to come from artists he never represented. When venues wired deposit funds, Murphy converted the money to personal use, including gambling.
Total damage: $414,433 defrauded from concert venues.
Court records indicate this was the convicted Murphy’s third federal fraud conviction. If this is the same person, it was not a one-time lapse in judgment.
The mechanics mirror the Fyre Festival fraud. Billy McFarland sold an event and pocketed the deposits. The convicted Murphy did the same with concerts.
The Timeline Questions
The convicted Romel C. Murphy was sentenced in October 2021 to 77 months, roughly 6.5 years. Assuming typical federal time served with good behavior, his projected release falls around 2025.
Create Music Group announced this deal in February 2026.
If this is the same person, when was this partnership negotiated? While in custody? A halfway house?
Create Music Group CEO Jonathan Strauss called Murphy “an extremely bright entrepreneur” in the announcement. Whether CMG conducted background checks or knew about the possible connection to the wire fraud case before signing remains unclear.
What This Means for Songwriters
Credit: Xania Monet Spotify
Telisha Jones reportedly owns the rights to Xania Monet. Suno’s terms of service state that users own their output. The deal structure allows her to retain master and publishing rights.
But here is the legal reality. US copyright law does not currently recognize copyright protection for AI-generated content. The Copyright Office requires human authorship. Without that, the songs may not be legally protectable.
So what does Jones actually own? The brand. The trademark “Xania Monet.” The files on her hard drive. But the legal status of “masters and publishing” for AI-generated music remains untested in court.
The concern goes beyond copyright. Murphy may have a federal conviction for misappropriating client funds. If the clues are correct, songwriters and creators working with dai + drm are entering a management relationship with someone who defrauded concert venues of $414,433.
Jones is a poet and creator. She built something new in this industry. The question is whether adequate due diligence was done before entering a management deal with someone who may have three federal fraud convictions
Wire fraud in music industry cases continue to surface. Understanding music royalties and AI ownership structures is now essential for creators entering this space.
Protect Yourself Before Signing With Any Manager
For songwriters considering AI partnerships, or any management deal, two protections matter most.
- Use a Letter of Direction. Have distributors pay you directly. Do not allow any manager to collect your revenue on your behalf. Especially one who may have a history of wire fraud.
- Own your credentials. Hold the login credentials to your AI platforms like Suno and all social media accounts. If a manager changes passwords, your AI artist effectively dies.
Artist contract red flags include rushed timelines and unclear ownership terms. Music manager due diligence should include background checks. Court records are public. A simple search would have surfaced this conviction before any deal was signed.
A note from the author:
If this turns out to be true. Do I want to believe he changed? Yes. I am the last person to judge anyone. I believe in second chances. People change. People grow.
But songwriters deserve to know who they are working with. Before they sign contracts. Before they trust someone with their royalties.
This article is not a verdict. It is information.
I will keep a close eye on Murphy’s movements over the next year or two. Time will tell if this is a redemption story or a repeat pattern.
I hope it is the former.
The Bigger Picture
This story is about more than one manager’s past. AI music is in a gold rush phase. Major players want to monetize before regulations take shape. The Warner Music and Suno licensing deal shows majors moving toward consent-based frameworks. Hallwood Media’s AI roster is building infrastructure. AI music startup funding reached record levels in 2024.
Speed creates blind spots. When a $1 billion company partners with someone who apparently has a federal fraud conviction to sell artificial artists, skeptics have ammunition. Music streaming fraud detection efforts have increased across the industry, but due diligence gaps remain.
The industry will eventually demand “Know Your Customer” standards for AI managers, the same way banks vet clients. Until then, the burden falls on individual creators.
When the artist is a digital projection, the integrity of the human manager becomes the only safety net. Vet the operator. This applies to any manager, regardless of this specific case
